RESCUED BY THE LIFEBOAT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6511, 9 January 1882, Page 6

RESCUED BY THE LIFEBOAT.

A correspondent of the Daily News describes a courageous rescue by a lifeboat crew:—

“At a quarter past 3 on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 23, a coastgnard’s-man on the look-out near the quiet little seaside town of Clacton saw a signal rocket fired from the Ounfieet Floating Lightship, which told of a wreck on the Q-unfleeb- Sand and asked for a

lifeboat’s aid. The mao ran for the Freemasons’ boat that has been stationed here quite recently, and by a quarter before 4 o’clock the crew were together and the boat was being run down to the beach. But wind and tide were both dead against a boat that had only oars and sails to propel it, and it was therefore a quite hopeless task to attempt direct approach to the wreck. It was, however, suggested by one of the crew that they should row across the tide into the fairway, and trust to the chance of a passing steamer to tow them down. This proposition was readily agreed to, and after a heavy pull of about six miles through the Spitway into the Eas.t Bwin, the bowman sighted a steamer coming down, but she either did not or would not notice the Samaritan of the sea. Shortly after, having in the meantime pulled further out into the channel, another steamer was sighted, which proved to be the Oonsett, of Sunderland, whose captain did not require much persuasion to give them a rope, and learning what they were after, he put on all steam, bringing them pretty quickly within sight of the wreck. Having towed them as close to the wreck as he could with safety to his own ship, he let them go, and they took to their oars. Having reached within about 20 yards of the wreck, on the weather side, they dropped anchor, but a huge roller coming lifted the wreck and carried it further on to the sand. They were obliged, therefore, to pay out more cable, and were just successful in making connection by a line with the wreck when another roller again lifted the wreck and carried her quite out of reach. They had paid out all their cable, and it was, therefore, a question whether they should abandon the wreck or voluntarily encounter the only real danger that threatens the splendid self-righting craft built by the National Life boat Society. This is the danger of being stove in against the side of the wreck, and the crew unanimously, and with a ready courage which is beyond all praise, determined to risk this, in order to attempt the rescue of the woebegone beings that they could see on the ill-fated vessel. They therefore let go the cable, and the next roller oast their boat right on to the deck of the vessel, which proved to be the Madeleine, of Boulogne, a new steam fishing vessel, with a crew of 16 hands. After some buffeting, losing their rudder, breaking an oar, and otherwise damaging their tackle, they wore enabled to make fast to the side of the wreck, and the Frenchmen one by one jumped, fell, or were pulled into the boat. One poor boy, starved with the cold wind and drenching spray, fell into the sea, and was rescued with a boathook t and One of the men, falling into the sea, just managed to seize the fortunately long beard of one of the crew, and was actually sustoinod and partly pulled into the boat by this means. The result was that the whole of the sixteen were safely brought to land, and placed in charge of the local agent of the Shipwrecked Mariners’ Society. The woy the Frenchmen embraced such members of the lifeboat’s crow as they cculd got at on the pier, was something to witness.”